NEWS

Columbus Defenseman Bret Tyler Named Easton Player of the Month

on Jan 03, 2013

HUNTERSVILLE, NC – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) today announced Bret Tyler of the Columbus Cottonmouths is the Easton Player of the Month for December. Tyler becomes the first defenseman to ever win the league’s monthly honor.

Tyler was fourth among all players in points last month, scoring one goal and adding 16 assists. He was +7, the second-best rating in the league in December, and anchored the Cottonmouths’ blue line as Columbus went a league-best 8-3-1.

A native of Maynard, MA, Tyler had six multi-point games from the blue line, including a trio of three-point nights. He scored his only goal of the month and added a pair of assists on December 21 in leading Columbus to a 5-2 win over the Mississippi Surge.

Tyler currently leads all SPHL defensemen in both assists (21) and points (23) and is first in the SPHL with eight power-play helpers. Tyler’s 21 assists are also second-most in the league.

Last season, Tyler earned All-SPHL Second Team honors and was third among all defensemen in scoring. Now in his fifth professional season and third with the Cottonmouths, he played collegiately with the Maine Black Bears and was the team’s top-scoring defenseman each of his four seasons. Tyler also helped lead Maine to the NCAA Frozen Four in both 2006 and 2007.